Monday, December 31, 2012

This is a funny series my dad took: we were on the way to the Amsterdam shipping museum to see the arrival of Sinterklaas and we noticed that all these kids passing us looked kinda miserable... And we were joking that they didn't get anything in their shoes.

But really, I think it was that they were upset to miss the parade. It was heartbreaking! They looked so cute and just so sad. Check out that first picture- classic.






Sunday, December 30, 2012

The sun is stunning this morning in Vancouver. Made me think of this text from Rotterdam.


Saturday, December 29, 2012

Not Amsterdam, but very very close. As seen in a retro shop.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Yes. I really think he would.
(both of them)

Now I feel I have little to say... But I'll still say some things with pictures. Will continue to post some from the adventure that never made the cut the first time around.

Thanks to everyone who read! And your compliments and comments. I truly appreciated your support!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Home

I am home. Took a gamble on a flight through Calgary- the first leg was easy: I got the last seat on the London Heathrow direct to Calgary, but by the time I got there I was #30 or so on the standby list. Hit my new record for flights in a row standing by- 7.

When I was home standing in my bedroom it was 26 hours I'd been moving.

So here I am. A day into Vancouver. First impressions: I don't remember the mountains being so big.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Friday, December 21, 2012

Laduree

On my walk I passed a fancy French macaron shop which had the prettiest window display that before I knew it I had purchased a small sampling. Lovely till I just ate them all in one sitting.

Coconut
Christmas
Pistachio
Lemon (winner)

Queen for a day

I have not found London to be as busy or hectic as I remembered, short of one tube incident where I was so close to the door closing I nearly lost my hat!

Now I know where all the tourists are: Buckingham Palace

I walked though the Palace Gardens and Green Park- wandered around for a bit and then got out of there. It was a bit crazy.

No queen waving. And all the curtains were pulled. She probably left the city early to beat the holiday traffic to her country house...


Thursday, December 20, 2012

Tube stops Thursday

Ladbroke Grove
Bow Road
Bow Church
Canary Wharf
Greenwich
Bank
Holborn
Covent Garden
Green Park
Pimlico
Victoria
Hammersmith
Ladbroke Grove

Tate Britain: the Turner Prize 2012

I was able to catch the Turner Prize which just announced it's winner a few weeks ago. I'd been once before back in 1999, and considering it's kind of a big deal I wanted to check it out.

I am definitely convinced they picked the right winner- Elizabeth Price has this amazing film merging archival imagery, text, new media, and music. So much of it is in the editing- I'm still thinking about it...

Greenwich

Today was wet, but I ventured out to to Greenwich Park to the Royal Observatory, which is also the location of the Greenwich meridian. The location served as a research place for astronomers, Mean Time, and marks the point 0 for longitude.

The park was practically deserted- just a few dog walkers, and up on top of a hill was the observatory.

I was here once nearly 30 years ago, and I have a photo of my brother and I standing on the east and west sides of the line. Today, just me.

The building you see below is actually a camera obscura- the whole building. I was alone in the dark and a faint picture appeared before me- but being so overcast made it fuzzy.

I also attempted to reset my watch to accurate Mean Time, and I think I'm pretty close- the train system here is synced to this... Meanwhile, my iPhone is nearly always off by 5 minutes! I'll have to start again shortly anyway as I head home...

The funniest thing was you could listen to the various voices which announced the current time when you called on the phone since 1936. "at the sound of the third beep the time will be 7:15 and 24 seconds...". Sara Mendes de Cosa, Brian Cobby, Pat Simmons, and Ethel Cain spoke to more people than you can imagine!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Little hands

I was given the best send off ever as 3 little helping hands got me to the train station on time (with mom), helped with the luggage and waited on the track for my train to come in. Hugs all around and I hopped on. They waved at me through the window- and A ran and waved as I took off.

Lego!

I have never played so much Lego in the last 30 years as I did in the last few days! We really got into it. I'm most proud of the crocodiles (smug* didn't even follow a guide) and here are some of the err... real kids creations (zoo house, princess house, and dog house- with dog)

Monday, December 17, 2012

Around London


Tate Modern

Mid day Sunday we decided to head into the city and we went to the Tate Modern for a couple hours. The gallery is free which is nice to feel like we can wander and leave if we run out of steam- The new area which was quite nice is the newly opened Turbine Hall: live and performance art spaces.

Petts Wood

I'm now in Petts Wood in the south of London with an old childhood friend from home who lives here with her husband and family. She has 3 kids, so today was a busy day of playing outside, playing princess, playing Lego, going for a walk in the woods, followed by more Lego. We also made a wreath for the door and a center piece. One of the busiest days in ages!

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Random International: Rain Room

IM and I ventured to the Barbican Centre to see a most amazing installation.

"Rain Room" is an indoor space that has a downpour... But as you walk in... You control the rain. The ceiling has sensors and as you walk through the rain makes way and you stay dry! Once you are in the midst of it, it was like being in the eye of a storm... So beautiful and strange. There was a cloud of emptiness above your head.

The sound of the rain was thunderous as it hit the ground- IM and I could talk to each other, but we couldn't really hear other people (except for the odd squeal when someone moved too fast and got a bit wet!)

Leaving New Milton

Had a lovely leisurely morning with my godmother and packed up to head out. She is such an interesting, well traveled, talented and thoughtful woman. She has these collections from her life time of travels and living in far off places. Here are just some of her pieces. I will always remember about 20 years ago that she said she would like to have all the things that mean the most to her fit into one suitcase- perhaps impossible, but I think of that often. She was very very good to me and I was truly so sad to say good bye.

London town

Last night I arrived back in London and made my way to the Archway tube station to stay with a family member. It's been a very long time. The last time we may have met was when he was 14 and I was 19. Crazy. But now I'm staying in a shared house with a really great crew of folks.

This morning I ventured off on my own to Camden Town to meet an old friend from Emily Carr- with him it's also probably a good 10 years. He, his girlfriend and I had a coffee and wandered around. It was a beautiful day and a tad warmer than lately. We even sat on a patio to have our drinks.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Russell-Cotes Museum

We went to Bournemouth for a drive and lunch- and to see the Russell-Cotes house. It is one of the last built 'Victorian' homes, a labour of love from Sir Russell-Cotes to his wife.

They were avid collectors and travelers and left their home and collection to be viewed by the public. Here are some shots from around (including beautiful tile work in the bathroom) as I got shouted at for taking a photo I left the artwork to memory instead.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

And... cue pub with thatched roof

Arrived in Southampton to quite the list of customs questions. Think of every possible question I've been asked about why I'm here, who I know, how I'm related, what I'm doing, where I'm going, how I saved the money, which employer (would let me leave and come back), wrapped into one agent. Somehow, I got past him.

Then I took the train to New Milton and met my godmother. After a cup we headed directly to the pub "the Cat and Fiddle" and had an amazing lunch. We aren't sure of the last time I visited but it's been over 10 years.

Leaving the coast line of the Netherlands...

Going. Gone. Gone.